Request for Information (RFI) to Support the Electronic Warfare (EW) / Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) Superiority Enterprise Capability Collaboration Team (ECCT) 4: Description REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION PLANNED AT THIS TIME. This RFLis issued solely for information and planning purposes; it does not coristitute a Request for Proposal (REP) oF a promise to issue an RFP in the future. Per FAR 52.215-3, Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes (Ost 1997): (a) The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this solicitation or to otherwise pay for the information solicited except as an allowable cost under other contracts as provided in subsection 31.205-18, bid and proposal costs, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, (®) Although "proposal" and "offeror" are used in this Request for Information, your response will be treated as information only. It shall not be used as a proposal. (©) This solicitation is issued for the purpose of collecting Government Market Research, a process for obtaining the latest information on the ‘art of possible' from industry with respect to ‘heir current and near-term abilities. ‘The Government WILL NOT PAY for any information received in response to this request for information nor will the Government compensate the respondent for any cost incurred in Geveloping the information for the Government. Respondents may provide more than one response if its required to capture different technology vectors. It is left to the responder's discretion whether to provide data on EW/EMS Superiority technologies, systems, or platforms. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in.any future REP. Any comments provided may or may not be included in a formal solicitation. The Government will not release any information that is marked proprietary it receives in response to this RFI to any fitins, agencies or individuals outside the Goverment without vwritten permission in accordance with the responder's proprietary stipulations. All company proprietary information contained in the tesponse should be separately marked and will be properly protected from unauthorized disclosure. Any classified responses to this RFI must contain proper markings in accordance with the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) Operating Manual (NISPOM) and DoD Instruction 5200.01. The Government will not use proprietary information submitted from eny one firm to establish the capability and requirements for any future systems acquisition so as to not inadvertently restrict competition, 2: Purpose ‘The USAF EW/EMS Superiority ECCT is the principal group charged with integrated planning for capability development to advance warfighting concepts and capabilities for EW/EMS Pagel of 7Superiority. ‘This team is conducting long-term planning for Capabilities Development for EW/EMS Superiority. This RFLis part of Government Market Research, a process to obtain the latest information on the “art of the possible’ from industiy. regarding development of near-term, mid-term, and far-term technologies and capabilities. The products resulting fom this REL will be used to understand current and future technology trends, and support techiology- maturation and capabilities development planning, 3: Background This ECCT was authorized by the Sep 2017 USAF Capability Development Couneil (CDC), and the team will be chartered by Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF). This effort shoutd be considered complementary to, and:supportive of, the 2017 Department of Defense (DoD) EW Strategy and other USAF enterprise-wide capability development efforts to include those documented in the Air Superiority 2030 (AS 2030) Flight Plan and the ongoing Multi-Domain Command aid Control (MDC2) ECCT, The EW/EMS Supetiority ECCT will serve as the focal point for capability development efforts across Doctrine, Organization, Materiel, Leadership, Personnel, Facility — Policy (DOTMLPF-P) related to achieving EW/EMS Superiority, in order to ensure synergy of effort and derive the most benetit from on-going and planned activities. ‘4: Seope The EW/EMS Superiority ECCT will identify and quantify materiel and non-materiel DOTMLPF-P solutions to fill key capability gaps. ‘The ECCT activities will be shaped by the following parameters: Focus on the Highly Contested Environment (HCE) across all phases of operations. Howeyer, the ECCT will document solution/technologies/capabilities that could also influence contested andor permissive environments. ‘* Solutions which cover the time period from FY 2018 to FY 2040 as follows: © FY 2018 - 2025 (near-term) © FY 2026 - 2030 (mid-term) co FY 2031 - 2040 (far-term) © EMS Superiority analysis will focus on frequencies from 3. MHz to 10°11 ME, or High Frequency (HE) to Ultraviolet (GV). Both active and passive systems (both red and blue) will be examined, As.a focus area, dnalysis will review EW in the context of non- kinetic stand-in/stand-off operations against enemy Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS}. However, the broader scope is EW/EMS Superiority within the listed frequencies. * Particular areas of interest for this RFI are traditional RF, visible, Infia-Red (IR), Ultra Violet (UV), and millimeter wave (mmW)). Additionally, the team will consider Directed Energy (DE), cyber delivery, and space capabilities. © Later data calls may alter this scope if required. 5: Objective ‘This REI will inform the ECCT as port of the ongoing analysis and provide USAF stakeholders the information needed to conduct development plannitig activities and identify potential DOTMLPF-P solutions to gain and maintain EW/EMS Superiority at a time and place of our choosing while denying the adversary the same. Page 2 of 7Data collected through these RFI responses along with future interactions with industry partners ‘will inform development of viable concepts to be assessed by the EW/EMS Superiority ECCT. Members of the ECCT Working. Groups will utilize the following submitted data for materiel and non-materiel solutions to identify potential investment and maturation efforts: Cost Risk ‘Maturity ‘Technical performance of the various technologies, systems, platforms, and concepts Potential for new Concepts of Operation (CONOPS) Potential for new/updated Tacties, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) Integrated architectures 6: RFI Requirements ‘The ECCT will require evidence (estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL), risk, cost, schedule, and performance) of development and potential capabilities in all of the following areas, listed here in no paiticular order: ‘¢ Full Spectrum EW (RF to Optical) © Platform-Level Technologiés to provide Electronic Warfare capabilities «Modification to inventory platforms to address future EA and ES requirements, + EA and BS approaches and technology maturation efforts to support next ‘generation platforms. * Developmental or upgraded kinetic attack weapons, to include anti-radiation missiles and their associated ES targeting systems * Developmental or upgraded stand-in and/or stand-off expendable/attritable/recoverable platforms with ES/EA capabilities: © System and sub-system technologies to provide Non-Kinetic Effect (NKE) capabilities * Modifications to legacy EA and ES systems or sub-systems to address future EA and ES requirements. = Technology to replace legacy EA and ES systems or sub-systems to address future EA and ES requirements, * Technology for next generation EA and ES systems or sub-systems to address Suture EA and ES requirements. * Capability to deliver offensive cyber via the listed frequencies. + Blectronie Protect (EP) development. © Concepts = System-of-Systems (SoS) and/or Family-of-Systems (FoS). + Adaptive and cognitive systems. = Open architectural approiches to address requirements for systems and platforms (size, weight, power, cooling, and signal/data processing). = Technology and algorithm development, » Advanced RF sensor and communications jamming techniques. * Advanced communications/sensor jamming fechniques. Page 3.0f7Digital Signal Processing (DSP) techniques and technologies. Passive and counter-passive systems. Low Probability of Intercept (LP) and counter-LPI hardware and waveforms. ‘Techniques expected for non-RF applications, to include IR countermeasures. RF antenna technologies and performance. Multi-threat engagement capabilities, + Advanced EP algorithms and technologies. © Comments and clarifications + Platforms may be either manned or unmanned, air-breathing or non-air- breathing, = Platforms may provide offensive Airbome EA (ABA) with capability to conduct stand-in, mod-escort, and/or stand-off ES/EA. * Platforms may be surveillance and reconnaissance with stand-off or stand-in ES. * Systems may provide offensive or defensive situational awareness snd/or countermeasures. = Systems or sub-systems may provide all or parts of the solution space: + Expendables may be either atiritable or recoverable. * Communications/Network o Network enabled/fused SoS & FoS capabilities for distributed EA and tactical EW coordination © Networking capabilities and technology roadmaps o Advanced EP features for secure communications ° ° 1 Airborne communications ision Support for Tactical Operations or Electromagnetic Battle Management (EMBM) © Other EW Areas © Space EW = Identify EW/EMS capabilities and/or capacity that could be applied to counter-space missions, or space-based EW. = Capability to enable resilient Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT). © Cyber EW = Identity a system’s capability to deliver synchronous and asynchronous cyber effects and the architecture required to do so. * The REI is not intended to evaluate the full tradespace of BA-injected cyber techniques. o EMBM = System level technologies to provide near-real-time command and control of the EW/EMS assets in the HCE. * Software and algorithm developments to support decision making and Non- Kinetic Effects assessments. * Additional Topics to Address Page 4.0f7© Previously conducted modéling and simulation (M&S) and test and evaluation (T&E) efforts related to ES/EA/EP of the platform or system in a highly contested environment © Near-term plans for M&S and T&E efforts related to ES/EA of the platform or system in a relevant operational environment © Capability to operate in the presence of Background RF Environment (BRFE) (white commercial signals, grey and blue signals in addition to the red signals of interest) © Capability to operate in the presence of a dense RF environment of a TICE to include the BRFE © Technologies’ performance specifications or expectations, schedule, lifecycle cost (including energy cost, risks (for cost/schedule) and any special supportability/sustainability considerations. Provide assumptions used to assign schedule, risk, and cost © Current TRLS/MRLs of technologies. Any prototyping plans or technology ‘maturation in the near future © Government sponsored or Independent Research and Development (IRAD) programs currently in progress 7: Instructions to Respondents Interested parties may provide a data package for each of the four main areas in Section 6: RFL Requirements. Each package should describe capabilities, qualification statemaents, and examples in the format detailed below. Companies or parties are to submit responses in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) compatible electronic format. The maximum page limit for the main body of the response is 30 pages, 8.5" x 11”, and no smaller than size 12 font, There is no page limit or prescribed format for supplemental material including attachments, figures, and/or drawings as deemed necegsaty for completeness of the response. At a minimim, responses must include: ‘A) Cover page containing identification of the company Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, classification level of the document, street address, names, position, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses for of technical Point of Contacts (POC) and the overall company POC (in the vase of a partnership, please provide appropriate CAGE codes and POC information for the lead company). ‘© Identify at least one POC who holds a SECRET clearance © Please provide evidence that your company has facilities cleated to handle SECRET data B) Complete technology/system/platform description, C) Overall capabilities of the technology or system as compared against Section 6: REL ‘Requirements D) Detailed information regarding estimates of the system capabilities/performance (prior testing, M&S results, test reports, etc.) E) Estimated TRL and TRL timeline with justification (see attachment of Technology Readiness Assessment Guide dated April 2011) F) Estimated MRL and MRL timelisie with justification (sce attachment of Manufacturing Readiness Level Deskbook dated August 2015). Responses must be received by no later than 1430 EST on 05 Apr 18, The primary subinission option for all responses is vie e-mail. The secondary option is a CD or DVD by regular mail in Page 5 of 7text searchable Portable Document Format (-pdf), CD is the preferred option for electronic. submissions containing over 10 MB of data. Paper copies can be submitted to the address below ifthe other two options are unavailable. Failure to respond to this RFT does not preclude participation in any future competition, nor will information provided in response to this RFI be used to exclude anyorie from responding to any future requests tor proposals. Communications with AFLCMC in regard to this RFT must be submitted in writing or via email during the RFI response period to the POCs below. Please notify Program Manager AFELCMC/XZAB, (Pete Kronbergs, Jeon.kronbergs. 1@us.af. mil) and Contracting Officer AFLCMC/PZITC (Julie Haris, Jui s.af.mil) of all submissions. Responses sent by mail to should be addressed to AFLCMC/XZ, 2240 B. Street (Bldg 11, Area B) WPAFB, OF 45433. For RFI submissions up to Secret Collateral. send to 2 Lt Flive Lail and Pete Kronbergs at the following: © UNCLAS: el Aronbergs,Gius.atmil email smil.mil, leon.p.kronbergs.ci © Secret Collateral For submissions which are classified other than Secret (Top Secret, SCI, SAP) send an unclassified email to AFLCMC.OZJZ. WORKFLOW@US.AF.MIL requesting further instructions. 8: Industry Day Discussions An Industry Day event, entitled “Air Force Strategic Development Planning & Experimentation (SDPE): Strategic Interchange Meeting (SIM)" is scheduled for the week of 5-9 Feb 2018 at the General Jacob E. Smart Conference Center, Joint Base Andrews, MD. This EW/EMS. Supetiority ECCT is included on the agenda for discussion that week. Event details and subsequent RFI information will be published on htips:/Awww.fbo.gov and/or hup://www.defenseinnovationmarketplace.mil/SDPE. html, This Air Force Research Lab, SDPE-sponsored SIM is intended to provide more detailed information and answer jnitial respondent questions. Based upon discussions at the February SIM, the EW/EMS Superiority ECCT Government team may request follow-on, one-on-one discussions at a later date. The Government does not commit to providing a resporise to any comments or questions. Any revisions to this RFT, based on comments received, remain solely at the Government's discretion. ‘These initiatives may ultimately result in the Government developing, and issuing, an RFP in the future. 9: Special Notices ‘This RFIIS NOT an Invitation for Bid (IFB) or a Request for Proposal (REP). The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI. This RFI is part of ongoing Government-conducted, commercial derivative market research for military planning purposes. Itis NOT a solicitation. The Government will not provide reimbursement for costs associated with this request. Responses will be treated as information only and will not be used as a proposal. The submitted documentation, upon delivery, becomes the property’ af the US Page 6 of 7Government and will not be retuimed. Such information will be reviewed by a teain comprised of Government and Contractor personnel providing technical assistance in the Government's ‘preparation of an input to a potential acquisition strategy. All members of the team will be reminded of their obligetion to protect such information'to the maximum extent permitted or required by the Economic Espionage Act, 18 U.S.C, 1831 et seq., and other applicable statutes or regulations. In addition, Goverment members will be reminded of their obligation to afford. protection under the Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1905. All contractor members are required to protect the information by the terms of their contract agreements. The Government has also determined that assisting contractor team members have no organizational conflicts of interest that could adversely affect protection of proprietary information. The Goverament will not reply to information received. The Government may conduct follow-on discussions with responders through individual and/or collective "Industry Day” sessions. Page 7 of 7